You Saved Me
by Delenatvdislife
Summary: What if Stefan wasnt standing by Wickery Bridge when Elena Gilbert's car went off the bridge? What if Damon was standing there and saved her after he met her? All about Delena!
1. chapter 1

**Damon POV**

What the hell was I doing here? And I don't mean lying on the road but in Mystic Falls again looking for Katherine Pierce. I know it's only my third day here, but all my searches have been dead ends. And what are the odds that she's even in that tomb? She could have died in it. The plan could have gone wrong. For all I know, she could not even be there and instead, traveling the world looking for more love.

But I love Katherine. I've never met anyone like her. Anyone as fierce and sexy as her. I couldn't give up on this search, I had to find her.

My thoughts were interrupted as I heard a girl with an eerily familiar voice. "I know Bonnie, you're right." She sighed on the phone. "You and my mom both are. I just can't bring myself to tell him. At least not tonight. I'll call you later."

No, it can't be. And before I knew what I was doing, I vamp sped to her. "Katherine." I said, exasperated, relieved, confused and excited all at the same time.

The girl looked confused. Really confused. She looked over her shoulder to see if I was talking to someone else. "Um, no, I'm Elena."

"Oh." I said, feeling a wave of disappointment come over me. "You just look- I'm sorry. You just really remind me of someone".

Whether or not she was Katherine, she was stunning. And kind too. Why not kill some time?

"I'm Damon."

She wasn't fazed. "Not to be rude or anything Damon but it's kinda creepy you're out here in the middle of nowhere." She wasn't afraid to speak her mind, I liked it.

"You're one to talk. You're out here all by yourself." I replied confidently.

"It's Mystic Falls. Nothing bad ever happens here." Oh, I beg to differ. She didn't know about the humans torturing and killing the vampires in Mystic Falls who were supposedly terrorizing the residents. Not to mention that this beauty was talking to a vampire.

Breaking the deafening silence, she confided. "Got into a fight with my boyfriend."

"About what, may I ask?" I say while putting my hands up in defense.

She looks down, shakes her head in disbelief, "Life. Future. He's got it all mapped out."

Interesting. "And you don't want it?" I instantly replied. She crossed her arms and breathed out, "I don't know what I want."

I smirked. "Well that's not true. You want what everybody wants." I offered.

"What? Mysterious stranger who knows all the answers?" She questioned with a smile.

I gave a genuine smile and threw my head back. "Well let's just say I've been around a long time." 170 years in fact, but I obviously wouldn't say that out loud. "I've learned a few things." I teased sarcastically with a funny face.

Elena smirked again, I liked it. "So Damon, tell me. What is it that I want?" She flirted further.

I walked toward her while deducing it, watching her the whole time. "You want a love that consumes you. You want passion and adventure and even a little danger." I smirked. Elena stared back at me with understanding, wondering the next thing to say. "So what do you want?"

Truthfully, I had no idea. The only I knew was that I was on a mission for Katherine, but really, I had no goals in life, anything. She made me take a note to start thinking about it. I was just about to answer with a stupid "I don't know" when we were saved by the sound of car horn. We both looked. "That's my parents." She said with a certain amount of hope in her voice.

I felt a twinge of disappointment. "Well, Elena, it was really great meeting you." I saw while reaching for her hand and placing a light kiss on it. "But I've gotta be going. Don't want to be a mysterious stranger in the middle of nowhere, right?"

She laughed and replied, "Yeah. We'll see about that."

"Here, I'll give you my number if you ever want to reach me." She looked through her blue purse for a piece of paper and by the time she looked up again, I vanished, just like that.

Little did I know I would be seeing Elena again sooner than I thought, and not in the best situation.


	2. Chapter 2

**Elena POV**

"So what happened with you and Matt at the bonfire?" My mom asked.

I knew before, that it was about life and future. But now I'm not so sure. The root problem is that we aren't happy with each other in a relationship, we want different things and that's okay. Me and Matt have been best friends practically since we were born, from the sandbox. I feel like it was always expected of us to start a relationship, it was the status quo. I loved him, but not in a sense that I could love him romantically forever. I always knew that I would date him at a point. I enjoyed Matt's company, but our relationship wasn't passionate or exciting.

My thoughts were interrupted when my mom questioned "Elena?" with a slight look of concern on her face.

"Oh, sorry." I straightened myself back in the seat. "I thought that the problem was all about commitment and what Matt wanted and that he wanted things like a future. But it's not. It wasn't too soon, our relationship is the problem. So when I see him on Monday, I'm going to end things with him, at least in a romantic way. I just hope we can still be friends."

My mom didn't hesitate to answer. "Well good for you honey. You weren't happy with him and when that happens, it's not worth the pain. You should be with someone who makes you truly happy, who makes you glad you're alive."

I smiled. She was always my biggest champion and never ceased to support me in whatever I do.

My dad decided to chime in too. "It's whatever you want Elena. You know that. But just know that I'll still be at the door with a baseball bat when the next date shows up at the door."

Me and my mom laughed until I could no longer breathe. I loved these moments. My dad looked at you in the rearview mirror, smiled and then put his eyes on the road...or bridge.

Suddenly, I felt a loud thump, a screaming crash and it was our car. Then, I heard a screech and saw shards of glass go everywhere. My mom, dad and I were screaming out of fear. Our heads were thrashing from left to right, hitting on the glass. I saw in the corner of my eye that we were outside, spiraling downward and upside down to our impending doom and before I knew it, we were in the quarry, in the body of water.

I couldn't scream because nothing came out. Water flooded into the car since the glass broke and the car was sinking. I tried and tried undoing my seatbelt but it wouldn;t budge because the water was compressed onto the seatbelt. I looked at my mother and saw that she was unconscious or I should say dead and my dad was looking in the same direction. I guess he saw me look in concern, distress and fear at my dead mother because he immediately grabbed my hand and we just looked at each other and we had an understanding that we were both in the same amount of fear and nobody was coming to save us.

Through that telepathic bond, I just nodded at him and mouthed "I love you." And he mouthed back the same. I was forced to let go and close my eyes as I waited for the unconsciousness to wave over me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Damon POV**

I was standing on Wickery Bridge, doing the usual, contemplating life and scheming my oh so evil plan that Saint Stefan always talks about when a blue car I recognized to be Elena Gilbert's parents car approached Wickery Bridge. I was prepared to give a little smirk and wave to Elena when the car suddenly skidded, steered and struggled to get back into balance. My eyes became bewildered with concern and fear. And then the car ran off the bridge and plunged into the ocean, turning in every direction with glass shards going everywhere.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.

All I could think about was Elena. I barely knew her, but I knew her and I suddenly felt a strong wave of wordiness, concern, and strength for this one girl. I didn't exactly have time to think about why these feelings were developing for anyone because I tore off my black leather jacket and shoes vamp speed and dove straight into the ocean.

I felt a wave of air, then a splash and was in the ocean. I immediately started frantically looking for the blue car.

There it is. I found it.

I swam as fast as I possibly could to the car and once I got there, I saw Elena in the backseat, her and her dad. Elena's eyes were closed shut and I got worried that she could be...

Alive! She was alive! Thank God. So was her dad.

But her mom wasn't. I could hear everyone's heart beating except hers. My heart broke for Elena, but I knew I had to get her out of there.

After a few tries, I managed to jerk the car door open and Elena's brown doe eyes suddenly opened. When she saw me, she had a look I couldn't quite comprehend on her face. I'm guessing a combination of confusion, fear but relief. I gave a genuine smile and mouthed to her "I'm going to get you out of here".

She immediately shook her head like crazy. What? I'm the confused one now. She pointed to her dad. I understood, she wanted me to save her dad instead of her.

Nope. That was not happening. Nope nope nope.

I shook my head back in response. She had a stern and a pleading look on her face. I knew that even with my speed and power, I couldn't carry both her and her dad.

It was too late to make a choice because I only heard one heartbeat, Elena's. Shit.

I knew I had to get Elena out and fast because it was evident that the oxygen was closing and Elena wouldn't be able to hold it in for much longer. I quickly ripped open the car door, grabbed her and put her arms around my neck and hoped to God she would survive.

It seemed like forever until we reached the surface and both of us immediately gasped for air.

 **Thanks so much for the reviews, they mean so much to me! I LOVE Delena, they make me so utterly happy. I've always wanted to write a fanfiction about them and I finally got to do it. Will be updating daily whenever I can! - Hannah**


	4. Chapter 4

**Elena POV**

 _It seemed like forever until we reached the surface and both of us immediately gasped for air._

I immediately started choking on water and coughing water up like crazy. Then I felt this guy that saved me rubbing my back and reassuringly telling me, "It's going to be okay. You're going to be okay."

Although I barely knew this stranger, there was no one else and I knew I needed someone. "Oh my god!" I exasperated. I threw my arms around his neck and nestled into him, hugging him tight and felt safe. He reciprocated the actions and stroked my hair. He immediately rushed me to shore and I started coughing more. At this point, he opened a zipper from his back pocket and started dialing those three horrific numbers, 911.

Everything that he said after that was tuned out because I finally processed what had just happened.

My parents. My mom, my dad. Oh my god. They were...

"No! No! No! No! This can't be happening!" I sobbed. The mysterious stranger hung up the phone and cupped my face in his hands. "I am so so sorry that this happened. But I promise you, you _will_ get through this. It seems really hard to see that light at the end of the dark tunnel, but it's there." I sobbed while questioning, "how would you know?" He smiled and told me, "I've been around a long time. Shit's happened."

He then began to hold me and rocked me in his lap, stroking my head. "By the way, I'm Damon." Although it didn't help, it was nice to know there was someone there. "Holy crap. You're bleeding. At the back of your head." Damon exclaimed. But I didn't care. I did not care one little bit that I was bawling my eyes out and bleeding in front of a complete stranger...because my parents are dead. Wait, my parents, _our_ parents. Jeremy's parents. Oh my god. "Jeremy. What about Jeremy? Our parents are dead!"

"You have people who support you, we'll figure something out. I'm so sorry."

There was nothing to apologize for. Damon couldn't change the past or fix what happened. He couldn't make my parents come back to life. I said nothing but soon enough I started coughing up water again and choked. I started hearing those screaming and deafening sirens. A lot of them. I was still coughing and choking. It seemed like forever when an ambulance stopped behind us and about five paramedics took me from Damon's arms and placed me on the edge of the car while they frantically checked me. I didn't notice until now that I was shivering like crazy due to the water and cold air of the dead night. They could also clearly see that I was in shock. It didn't take long for the paramedics to see the blood on the back of my head.

I then suddenly screamed and bent over, feeling a sharp, severe pain in my stomach. I looked down to see blood bleeding through my shirt. Great. Before I knew it, I was on a gurney. I looked at Damon, who had a look of concern and heartfelt on his face. I said groggily, "By the way. I'm Elena." I felt nausea creep from my abdomen to my face and then the world went black.

I woke up to the rancid smell of the dead: a hospital. I looked around, confused as to why I was there. And then I remember. I receive vivid flashbacks of the shards of glass, the water flooding the car, the lack of oxygen, my parents. I wince. But just as I'm about to cry again, let it all out, I heard the one voice I wanted to hear the most.

"Elena?" Jeremy softly said with a relieved smile on his face.

"Hey Jer", I replied, concealing the sudden pain I was in. It didn't work though because Jeremy just yelled "NURSE! NURSE!".

"Thanks Jer." I say sarcastically.  
"Elena, you can't blame me. I mean you've been out for almost a day now."

WHAT? "Wait seriously? More than a day?"

"Yep. They had to rush you into surgery since you had internal problems in your stomach which explained the bleeding and your body was just healing."

Wow. A day. "Oh." I responded groggily.

I was about to divulge into what I really wanted to talk about when a nurse and a doctor rushed in, greeted me, asked me a few questions like "What's your pain at?" which I would usually respond with an "8". After this, she got out the iv and prepared to take my blood. I hate needles. They are the worst. Jeremy took my hand, looked me in the eyes and stated "I'm right here. Always." What would I do without him?

"You too. I want us to talk after, privately."

"Yeah. Jenna told Caroline, Bonnie, Matt and the others to go home and give you time to rest."

"Jenna's here?" I asked.

"Yeah. She's actually going through the process as we speak to be our legal guardian."

Wow. That's amazing. I already knew that there is no one else who could take care of us as well as Jenna. Well except for our parents. But it dawned upon me that wasn't going to happen again.

"The only other person that's here is Damon, the guy who saved you. He just keeps sitting outside, waiting for you to wake up."

I remember him as well. Vividly. I mean, that raven black hair, the icy blue eyes, the perfect jawline and the fact that he literally risked his life for me, how could you not remember him? I was looking forward to seeing him, especially considered that I had never thanked him for saving me.


	5. Chapter 5

_I mean, that raven black hair, those icy blue eyes, the perfect jawline, and the fact that he literally risked his life for me, how could you not remember him? I was looking forward to seeing him, especially considering I never thanked him for saving me._

 **Elena's POV**

"Finally. Jheez." The nurse was finally out of the room after poking and prodding me with needles or as I like to call them, sticks.

Jeremy didn't say anything. He had a solemn look on his face, staring at the ground.

I sat up in my bed and grabbed his hand. "Jer, look at me." He didn't. He just kept staring at the floor, trying not to look at me. "Jeremy Michael Gilbert, look at me right now." He slowly but surely raised his eyes to look at me. "I can't tell you how sorry I am. I am so sorry. You are too young to experience this," I shook my head. "Actually, nobody should experience this. Nobody should ever have to experience this. No one should have to experience their parents being dead."

Still utter silence.

"Jeremy please please say something. I can't do this alone. Please!" I begged. I needed him to say something, he means the most to me. I needed him right now.

"We were all having a perfectly great night with mom, dad and Jenna on frickin' game night when you decided to bail and go to the bonfire with your boyfriend who you don't even like. And then let me think...oh yes, I remember. While we were playing frickin' Charades, you called, saying you needed to get picked up because poor you and your boyfriend got into a stupid ass fight. And our mom and dad being the kind and amazing people they are, took pity on you and picked you up. Then, they saw you in the middle of the road, picked you up and skidded off the road on Wickery Bridge and dived into the lake-"

"Jeremy I don't need a play by play,"

"Nope, I'm almost done don't worry." He then proceeded to sniffle and break down in tears. His voice broke as he said, "the car dived into the lake, drowned and our parents died while you lived."

I didn't hesitate to pull him close to me and just hug him. We both sat there, crying our eyes out with me in between apologizing, a lot. The waterworks had taken over and won.

I really couldn't blame him for what he said. I knew from the second I looked at my dead mother in the clear blue water that it was my fault. It was because of me that I got into a fight with Matt. It was because of me that Mom and Dad picked me up. It was because of me that their car skidded on Wickery Bridge. It was because of me and my fault and mine only that they died.

The last thing Mom and Dad would want is for us to fight and blame eachother, to not stick together. I choose to believe that they are watching over us, because that's the kind of thing they would want. Jerm they would want us, they would _need_ us to get through this together. I'm not saying that we are going to be strong and not cry, but I'm saying that we should cry. Being weak doesn't not make us strong. There is nothing else that I can say except that I am infinitely sorry and I will do whatever I need to do to help you get through this. To get _us_ through this."

After I assumed two minutes, my aunt Jenna came in, saw us. "Oh, Elena. Jeremy." She then broke down standing there too. I chucled and raised my arm to pull her in and she immediately joined this emotional group hug. The waterworks had won. And I'm glad they did too. I knew we were going to be oay but I still had a deep feeling about Damon and I knew I needed to see him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Damon's POV**

 _I knew we were going to be okay but I still had a deep feeling about Damon and I knew I needed to see him._

I had been sleeping for about ten minutes when Jeremy, who was in shock and tears when I met him earlier, shouted at the top of his lungs, "NURSE!! NURSE!!". Well that was a way to be woken up.

Wait, why would he be shouting nurse? Was Elena okay? We're there issues with the surgery? I rushed to look in to the window between the outside and the room to happily see that Elena was up and talking to her brother. Thank god she was okay. I know I just met her, but it would be my fault if she didn't survive. But her parents didn't. I know all the grief she is going to go through. I may not have lost both my parents at the same time, whereas I can't begin to imagine the grief, but when my mother died, the world shattered around me. You see, my asshat of a father was horrible to me and Stefan, abusing us. We were both extremely afraid of him. While I may not have won the 'best brother award' recently, you know, encouraging him to feed in humans in which he became the Ripper of Monterey, but I did win that award when we were young. A lot.

While most fathers would give their kids a stern talking to, forgive and forget if their son did something as simple as borrow money or a mistake that all kids make, but our dad wasn't most dads. He would threaten to kill us. I even remember once when Stefan was about 6, he borrowed money to buy something in the town square. Of course, this was a stupid thing for him to do. But that evening during dinner, Giusupee barged in, shouting where his money went. The whole table was silent. I shot a look at little Stefan and he shot me a pleading one back. But he didn't need to. I declared that it was me, apologized and said I would never do it again. He didn't say anything. He just marched over to me and began to beat me. Over and over again. Everywhere.

The worst pain wasn't the torturous physical one I was in, it was that 6 year old Stefan was staring at us the whole time, his eyes full of horror, shock and fear for both his and my life. My mother was also there, but she never did anything about it. Bitch. Stefan was always afraid of dad, but he didn't know what he was truly capable of until that night. Stefan asked me that night while crying and sniffling why this could happen. My answer? "Because terrible things happen to good people. I don't know why he does it, but he does and we have to stick together. I'll do everything in my power to ensure you won't get hurt."

That's why I couldn't understand why I was upset when Stefan killed Guisepee after he turned. I guess I still cared for that stupid, neglecting asshole.

The sound of my name tore me from my inside talks about feelings (thank god). "Damon?" Jenna asked.

"Hey Jenna. I saw she's awake. Is she okay?"

"She will be." She responded tiredly.

She then rubbed her face. "I came out here to do something. What was it?"

I perplexly looked at her. She was weird. Good for Elena.

"Ah that's right. Elena wants you to go in. Please keep your paws off of her."

I chucked. She could have said "keep your fangs" off of her, not paws. Hello, I'm not a mindless werewolf!

Instead, I thanked her and slowly walked into the room. That's when I saw her. My heart fell instantly. She was pale, fragile and weak looking, but still frickin' gorgeous.

"Please don't take pity on me. I can see it on your face. Same look all the doctors have been giving me."

I raised my hands in defence. "Who said I was taking pity in you? I'm just standing here as an innocent citizen."

She chuckled and flashed me her million dollar smile. "Mmhmm. I'm sure."

I walked over to pull up a chair beside her. "So, how do you feel?"

"Great. I feel great." She sighed, like she has said that exact line 28378874789 times.

"Nope. I don't buy it. Just tell me, how do you feel?"

"Honesty?" Her lips closed into a frustrated straight line. "Awful. My stomach, my head, my heart, I don't know everything hurts. It hurts more emotionally, I'm taking it hard and so is my brother. And we all know it's my fault that they are dead. I--"

"Elena! This was not your fault okay? You couldn't control this. Okay you just couldn't. How could you know that picking you up from a bonfire would end with your parent dead? Elena this is not your fault. My mom died when I was 12 and it sucked. For a long time. But you just move forward until one day, it isn't as hard. Everything is going to be okay. Everything will work itself out."

I didn't notice until now that I was holding both of Elena's hands and looking her in her brown doe eyes. I didn't let go. Elena looked at me with genuine disbelief, understanding and gratitude. "I'm so sorry about your mom Damon. That must have been really hard."

I smirked. "Hey I don't take pity on you, you don't take pity on me. Got it?"

She chuckled a bit, I liked her smile. "Yeah, you're right. Wow Damon. Thank you."

"Of course. I'm here to give a pep talk."

She sat up in her uncomfortable hospital bed and began to indulge. "Not just for this. For everything. For you waiting outside, for this pep talk but most all, I'm saying thank you because you saved me. I know where I would be if you weren't here. So thank you."

I didn't know what to say. I don't save people, I don't help people. It's not what I do. I'm selfish, the bad guy. A vampire. Why the fuck did I save her?

I blurted out, "when you get out of the hospital and off of these stupid blood things, would you want to go out with me sometime?"

I said it really fast so I wasn't sure she would catch it.

"Yeah, I would really like that. I first need to spend time with my family."

My heart sunk just a little bit but I pushed it away. "Yes of course. That's understandable."

"I think I'm going to get some sleep, but feel free to stay if you want."

And so there I sat, watching her, wondering what the hell I was doing and how this was going to end.


	7. Chapter 7

_And so I sat there, watching her, wondering what the hell I was doing and how this was going to end._

 **Elena POV**

 _One week later._

Today was finally my last day in the hospital. I had mixed feelings about it all though. I was ecstatic to be returning to the comfort of my bed, but that meant going into my house, the first time since my parents died. Jenna said that when Jeremy passed by their bedroom for the first time, he screamed and punched one of the bedroom walls hard enough that he nearly broke his hand. That night, he slept in our parents room, on their bed. My parents were always so supportive of Jeremy, my dad and him were inseparable. Even when Jeremy was bullied when he was younger, my dad always managed to find some way to cheer him up. In that situation, it was by Dad going to school and yelling at satan in a 10 year old body. I was there, standing next to Jer when this is happened, and I remember both of us in awe and feeling so much braver to take on the world. But now, Dad or Mom wasn't there to help us take it on. At least we had Jenna.

The thing I was dreading the most though had to be their funeral. It was taking place tomorrow morning, everybody wanted it to happen after I was released so that I could be there. I wish they didn't do that but I need closure. I need to say goodbye. I was also asked to make a speech, but I had no idea what I was going to say. I mean, really, what do you say to a room full of people at your parents funeral?

My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. I clear my throat and ask "Who is it?" The voice replies with a sexy, "Your prostitute honey!" And I immediately know who it is but still laugh my ass off until I can't breathe. I decide to play along with this game though. "Hurry in, quick, I don't want anyone seeing you!" But I can't make it through any longer when Damon walks in the smelly hospital room because I just give a big smile, which he returns.

"I come bearing gifts!" He pulls out of a plastic bag the following: donuts, a hot chocolate and..."Is that what I think it is?" THREE MUSKETEERS! "How did you know?"

He sat on the bed, "A little redheaded birdie told me." he responded with a slight eye roll. I open my arms to hug him because even Caroline and Bonnie hadn't brought my favourite treat. "I'll admit, I was getting a bit tired of all the flowers, teddy bears and feel better soon cards from the whole frickin' neighbourhood." I exclaimed, while snuggling into his neck. "I know, I'm pretty awesome, right?" Ugh. I slowly pulled away and snarkily replied, "Cocky much? Don't flatter yourself bud."

He chuckled, and then it turned into a frown. "You've been acting slightly weirder today. What's going on?"

I sighed before telling him my fears. "My parents funeral is tomorrow. It just...it seems too real, you know? I guess I never thought I would have to say goodbye and it's just too soon. It's too soon."

Damon gave a genuine smirk and said, "Elena, let me tell you that it's always going to be too soon okay? No amount of time with them will be enough."

I shook my head. "Yeah, I just didn't think it would be now. My other problem is that I have to make a speech at the funeral. What can _I_ say that would englighten people, make them feel better about it?"

"Nothing will. Here's a tactic. Don't write it for the countless strangers in the audience, write it for Jeremy. You've been an amazing sister. And really, this speech is for him. I've been to a shit ton of funerals and what I've learned is that its there for you to say goodbye, not forever because they'll never be out of your life, but moving forward. Write it for your brother to help him and you both to move forward."

I understood completely. "Wow. That was some pretty good advice. Thanks."

"No problem. I'm going to head home, but I'll see you at the...thing, tomorrow."

I threw my head back and laughed. "You know, _funeral_ isn't a bad word."

Damon looked at me like I lived under a rock. "Um, yes it is. You'll find that out tomorrow."

Ah, he gives great pep talks. "I'll see you tomorrow, Damon. Thank you again."

And with that he walked out, quietly closing the door on his way out.


End file.
